Animal hotel, shelter in Egypt gives pets, strays safe place to stay

A recently-opened animal hotel and shelter in Egypt has been providing pet owners with a safe place to leave their treasured cats and dogs when they are out of town.

Hotel of Mercy

An animal shelter opened recently in Egypt presents pet owners the safe place to leave their pets for care.

Beyond hosting pets, the 'Hotel of Mercy,' located in the Saqarra area of the city of Giza, near Cairo, also acts as a shelter, welcoming stray animals that have been saved from the streets by its team of rescue workers, according to its owner, Ashraf Saber.

(Photograph:Agencia EFE)

Animal Shelter

'A year ago, the animal shelter of SPAR (Society for the Protection of Animal Rights in Egypt) had been closed, then I decided not to work for another place as I have the needed experience to open a new shelter,' Saber told

Saber, who has been working in the animal welfare sector for some 15 years, decided to open the hotel and shelter in 2018 following the closure of a shelter belonging to SPAR.

(Photograph:Agencia EFE)

50 stray cats, 25 pet dogs

Ashraf Saber had worked as an assistant to SPAR veterinarians, a role in which he learned all about animal welfare, including the medical treatment of dogs, cats and donkeys, before opening this hotel and shelter last year.

Saber's centre, which is staffed 24 hours a day by a team of five people, was currently looking after about 50 stray cats and 25 pet dogs, but it has the capacity to host more as per the report.

(Photograph:Agencia EFE)

'We clean animals and give needed vaccinations'

'Sometimes people call us and tell that there is a stray dog that is going to be poisoned,' he said, adding that the team heads out to rescue the animal and brings it back to the shelter. "We clean it and give it the needed vaccinations."

'So when we find a place with animals that are going to be harmed, or poisoned, they go catch them,' said Saber.

(Photograph:Agencia EFE)

Owners can leave their pets while travelling

The owner said he opened the hotel in order to host cats and dogs, whose owners are travelling and do not have anywhere else to leave their animals.

The centre also takes in strays, with a team that brings them in for care.

(Photograph:Agencia EFE)

No donations, owners pay $2.80 per day

The centre does not accept any donations, with pet owners paying 50 EGP ($2.80) per day to have their animals cared for.